V. Vineyards believes that winemaking starts in the vineyard - Without exemplary fruit, a graceful and balanced wine can not be produced. But, like every great orchestra, there needs to be an astute maestro. When it came time to select the right consulting winemaker, Gina and Steve met Winemaker Jean Hoefliger. Their collective passion for the classic style Bordeaux wines, along with Jean’s knowledge and training, instantly made sense.

Jean Hoefliger studied winemaking and viticulture at the Swiss federal school of Changins in his native Switzerland. Jean soon traveled the world working in the renowned wine regions of South Africa and Bordeaux, France before arriving in Napa Valley. Jean is currently the General Manager and Winemaker of Alpha Omega Winery in Rutherford where he works alongside internationally known consulting Winemaker, Michel Rolland. In addition to V. Vineyards, Mr. Hoefliger consults for a number of prestigious wine labels under his JH-Collection.

Jean’s winemaking philosophy is centered around taste. From the vine, through to the bottle, Jean believes a wine’s character should fully represent the unique terroir and personality of the vineyard.

Together, Mr. Hoefliger and the Viets' work toward achieving a balance of grace and structure in each wine. Using only natural yeast and conducting fermentation in 60 gallon French oak barrels, these small lot wines experience a longer maceration time with the skins staying in contact with the juice for 30-45 days. Additionally, the wines are unfined, unfiltered and spend between 22 and 29 months in 80% new French oak. This allows for the maximum expression of place, vintage over vintage, showcasing each wine’s elegance, nobility and capacity to age.

V. Vineyards produces under 1000 cases per year of artisan wines stemming from hand-tended vines, perfectly aged before release.